GARDEN FURNITURE can be expensive, but one homeowner saved a fortune by making a wooden arch himself.
In the Facebook group Gardening on a Budget Officialsomeone asked: “Advice for the best wooden bow that will last a long time and is not too expensive?”
The most common answer was: make one yourself!
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Attached is a photo of a beautiful wooden arch, someone explained how they made them.
“We made this last summer from free pallets and metal brackets from Screwfix.
“I added a back to it, but it’s sturdy and didn’t fall over in the wind at all.”
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The DIYer added: “All it cost was a box of screws and brackets in various sizes from Screwfix.”
“Not difficult to build at all. You can get smaller pallets than the ones I used.”
As for the way the pallets were made into an arch, it appeared as if six wooden pallets were used.
Two pallets were placed next to each other on the ground and then secured together with screws.
Repeat this two more times until you have three sets of two pallets attached together.
Next, attach the left panels to the top and right panels, as if you were making a square, but with three sides, until you get an inverted U.
The original maker of the arch added two pallets to the back to make it more sturdy, as she wanted it to be on her patio.
But you can also simply plant the bow in the ground to weigh it down.
Victor Netek There is a handy step-by-step guide on YouTube for making a curved garden trellis using wooden pallets.
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Arches or vertical trellis are not only great for providing some shade, but also for growing plants.
Plants that you can plant against and around an arch include roses, clematis, jasmine, honeysuckle (fragrant plants) and climbers.
Or why not grow tomatoes, pumpkins, cucumbers and courgettes over your arch?
Where to find free pallets: Many people give them away on Facebook Marketplace.
Or go to your local hardware store and see if they have them anywhere.
Want more privacy in your garden? Here’s a handy £7 tip from a homeowner.
And if you fancy some new garden furniture, Aldi is selling a stunning sofa that’s £100 cheaper than the competition.
Garden elements that add the most value to a home
A well-maintained garden can add 5-20% to the value of a home.
Sellhousefast.uk conducted a survey and consulted 36 estate agents, garden designers and property professionals from the UK.
And the experts found that the garden feature that adds the most value to a home is a shed.
- Barn – 82%
- Terrace or paving – 76%
- Secure fencing, walls or gates – 72%
- Outdoor lighting – 66%
- Sturdy decking – 62%
- Water features, such as a fountain or pond – 58%
- Modern garden furniture – 54%
- Artificial grass – 40%
